CONTACT THE STATE. IF YOU GET SICK. YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW, MOSQUITO BORNE ILLNESSES ARE ON THE RISE IN MASSACHUSETTS. WE TOLD YOU LAST WEEK A TOTAL OF FOUR PEOPLE HAVE NOW BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH WEST NILE VIRUS. TWO IN MIDDLESEX COUNTY, ONE IN ESSEX AND ANOTHER IN HAMPTON. SO HOW DO YOU PREVENT BEING EXPOSED TO THAT VIRUS? HERE WITH SOME ADVICE, DOCTOR ALI RAJA, THE HEAD OF EMERGENCY MEDICINE AT MASS GENERAL HOSPITAL. DOCTOR RAJA, GOOD TO SEE YOU. YOU TOO. BEN. YOU KNOW, AS YOU KNOW, DOCTOR RAJA, A LOT OF PEOPLE AROUND HERE GET MOSQUITO BITES. BUT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY DEVELOP WEST NILE IS PRETTY SMALL, RIGHT? SO WHY WORRY ABOUT IT? JESSICA. THAT’S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION. YOU’RE RIGHT. MOST PEOPLE WHO GET BITTEN DON’T GET REALLY SICK. BUT THE REASON WE WORRY IS THAT WHEN WEST NILE DOES HIT HARD, IT CAN BE DEVASTATING, ESPECIALLY IN OLDER ADULTS AND PEOPLE WITH WEAKENED IMMUNE SYSTEMS. IT CAN CAUSE ENCEPHALITIS AND MENINGITIS. AND WE HONESTLY, WE DON’T KNOW WHY SOME PEOPLE CAN GET SEVERE SYMPTOMS AND MOST DON’T. AND RIGHT NOW, WITH ALMOST 30 TOWNS IN THE STATE AT HIGH RISK, IT’S DEFINITELY SOMETHING WE HAVE TO TAKE SERIOUSLY. ALL RIGHT. SO WHERE THE RISK IS HIGH, SOME OFFICIALS ARE ACTUALLY STARTING TO CANCEL ACTIVITIES AFTER DUSK, WHICH WE SAW LAST WEEK WHEN NATICK HIGH SCHOOL MOVED ITS FRIDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL GAME WAS NOT UNDER THE LIGHTS. INSTEAD, THEY PLAYED IT ON SATURDAY MORNING. YOU KNOW, WE’VE SEEN THIS IN THE PAST, BUT USUALLY WITH TRIPLE E, NOT TYPICALLY WITH WEST NILE VIRUS. SO WHY DO YOU THINK THEY MADE THIS CALL AND HOW DOES IT PROTECT PEOPLE? YOU KNOW, BEN, I THINK IT’S A GOOD CALL. MOSQUITOES THAT CARRY WEST NILE ARE MOST ACTIVE BETWEEN DUSK AND DAWN. SO CHANGING THE TIME OF THE GAME OR CANCELING AN EVENING EVENT DEFINITELY LOWERS YOUR RISK. BUT IT’S REALLY NOT JUST ABOUT EVENTS. EVERYBODY HAS TO BE TAKING PRECAUTIONS. WE’VE GOT TO USE BUG SPRAY WITH DEET, WEAR LONG SLEEVES WHEN YOU CAN, AND TRY TO AVOID BEING OUTSIDE AT DUSK, ESPECIALLY IN HIGH RISK TOWNS. WELL, THE OTHER MOSQUITO BORNE VIRUS. YOU JUST MENTIONED IT BEN TRIPLE E, RIGHT? WE HAVEN’T SEEN SO MANY CASES OF THAT JUST YET IN MASSACHUSETTS. TALK ABOUT THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THAT AND WEST NILE, AND HOW MUCH MORE DANGEROUS THAT IS. JESSICA YOU’RE RIGHT, IT DEFINITELY IS MORE DANGEROUS THAN WEST NILE. AND THE INTERESTING THING IS THAT IT AFFECTS ALL AGE GROUPS, INCLUDING KIDS. FORTUNATELY, IT’S ALSO MUCH MORE RARE, BUT THE SYMPTOMS ARE REALLY SIMILAR. FEVER, HEADACHE, CONFUSION. BUT IT PROGRESSES REALLY QUICKLY AND UNFORTUNATELY HAS A HIGHER FATALITY RATE. BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT YOU CAN USE THE SAME PREVENTION FOR BOTH. EVERYTHING I JUST TALKED ABOUT IN TERMS OF PREVENTING MOSQUITO BITES WORKS FOR BOTH WEST NILE AND TRIPLE E. SO LIKE YOU SAID AT THE BEGINNING, WE’VE SEEN A FEW CASES OF WEST NILE. WE HAVEN’T SEEN TRIPOLI JUST YET, BUT THIS IS THE TIME OF THE YEAR WHERE THEY SPIKE. SO WE ALL NEED TO BE CAREFUL. HOPEFULLY THOSE TRIPLE E CASES WILL STAY AWAY. DOCTOR RAJA, THANK YOU
Two new human cases of West Nile virus have been confirmed in Massachusetts this year, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health said.One case is in a woman in her 60s with exposure in Middlesex County, and the other is a man in his 50s with exposure in Suffolk County. These cases bring the total number of confirmed human cases of West Nile virus in the state this season to eight. As a result, risk levels for West Nile virus have been elevated to high in Arlington, Chelsea, Medford and Waltham.The first West Nile virus-positive mosquitoes in the state this year were announced on June 17. Since then, 445 mosquito samples have tested positive for West Nile virus so far this season from Barnstable, Berkshire, Bristol, Dukes, Essex, Franklin, Hampden, Middlesex, Norfolk, Plymouth, Suffolk and Worcester counties. There has also been one animal case of West Nile virus this year in a goat. The risk for West Nile virus is now high in 47 municipalities in Suffolk, Middlesex, Essex and Worcester counties and moderate in 210 cities and towns in Barnstable, Berkshire, Bristol, Essex, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire, Middlesex, Norfolk, Plymouth, Suffolk and Worcester counties.In addition to West Nile virus, Eastern equine encephalitis has also been detected in mosquitoes in Massachusetts this year. There have been 23 EEE-positive mosquito samples and no human or animal cases so far this year.While the West Nile virus can infect people of all ages, people over the age of 50 are at higher risk for severe disease. Most people bitten by infected mosquitoes experience no symptoms, while about 20% of those who become infected can experience symptoms like fever, headache, body aches, nausea, vomiting and sometimes swollen lymph glands.People may also develop a skin rash on the chest, stomach and back.
Two new human cases of West Nile virus have been confirmed in Massachusetts this year, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health said.
One case is in a woman in her 60s with exposure in Middlesex County, and the other is a man in his 50s with exposure in Suffolk County.
These cases bring the total number of confirmed human cases of West Nile virus in the state this season to eight. As a result, risk levels for West Nile virus have been elevated to high in Arlington, Chelsea, Medford and Waltham.
The first West Nile virus-positive mosquitoes in the state this year were announced on June 17. Since then, 445 mosquito samples have tested positive for West Nile virus so far this season from Barnstable, Berkshire, Bristol, Dukes, Essex, Franklin, Hampden, Middlesex, Norfolk, Plymouth, Suffolk and Worcester counties. There has also been one animal case of West Nile virus this year in a goat.
The risk for West Nile virus is now high in 47 municipalities in Suffolk, Middlesex, Essex and Worcester counties and moderate in 210 cities and towns in Barnstable, Berkshire, Bristol, Essex, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire, Middlesex, Norfolk, Plymouth, Suffolk and Worcester counties.
In addition to West Nile virus, Eastern equine encephalitis has also been detected in mosquitoes in Massachusetts this year. There have been 23 EEE-positive mosquito samples and no human or animal cases so far this year.
While the West Nile virus can infect people of all ages, people over the age of 50 are at higher risk for severe disease. Most people bitten by infected mosquitoes experience no symptoms, while about 20% of those who become infected can experience symptoms like fever, headache, body aches, nausea, vomiting and sometimes swollen lymph glands.
People may also develop a skin rash on the chest, stomach and back.
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